Leveraging Resource Centers for Strengthening Immunization Supply Chain.

The efficacy of immunization programs is critically dependent on robust supply chain management, a complex challenge exacerbated by expanding program scopes and evolving vaccine technologies. This comprehensive review underscores the pivotal role of Resource Centers in fortifying the immunization supply chain, presenting a paradigm shift toward enhanced national and global health outcomes. Through a detailed examination of their key activities, the article elucidates how these centers catalyze improvements across various facets of supply chain management - from the integration of suitable technology technologies and specialized training programs to the development of sustainable models and advocacy for policy prioritization.

Update on Wild Poliovirus Type 1 Outbreak - Southeastern Africa, 2021-2022.

Since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) began in 1988, the number of wild poliovirus (WPV) cases has declined by >99.99%. Five of the six World Health Organization (WHO) regions have been certified free of indigenous WPV, and WPV serotypes 2 and 3 have been declared eradicated globally (1).

'Vaccinate my village' strategy in Malawi: an effort to boost COVID-19 vaccination.

Objectives: To boost COVID-19 vaccine uptake, an innovative 'vaccinate my village' (VMV) strategy using door-to-door vaccination by Health Surveillance Assistants (HSA) was adopted. In this study, we assessed the impact of the 'vaccinate my village' strategy on COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional review of the data on COVID-19 vaccination obtained from the Ministry of Health, Malawi, from 11 March 2021 to September 2022.

Key lessons learned from the immunization supply chain of Malawi, an African country using EVM2.0.

Objectives: A country's immunization system's effectiveness depends on its supply chain's efficacy. To assess the challenges of maintaining an efficient vaccine supply chain, Malawi conducted its assessment using The EVM2.0 tool (Effective Vaccine Management).

Infodemics during era of COVID-19 pandemic: A review of literature.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the new coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread across the globe and has affected the health of millions of people. During the pandemic, social media was the major source of information for isolated and anxious people. Infodemics is defined as "an overburden of information - some accurate and some not - that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy source and reliable guidance when they need it.

COVID-19 vaccine express strategy in Malawi: An effort to reach the un-reach.

Objectives: To establish the impact of "Covid-19 Vaccination express" (CVE) on vaccine uptake in Malawi.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study to compare the daily vaccine administration rate in CVE and routine covid vaccination (RCV). RCV data was collected from March 2021 to October 2021.

Clinical Profile and Immediate Outcome of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Associated with COVID-19: A Multicentric Study.

Introduction: Following an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic coronavirus disease (COVID-19), otherwise healthy children may develop serious manifestations in the form of cardiac, neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and dermatologic dysfunction. Many such cases were being observed in Odisha, an eastern state of India, and have been reported from different health-care facilities. We related these unexplained serious manifestations to multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C) and planned this study.

Loss to follow up of pregnant women with HIV and infant HIV outcomes in the prevention of maternal to child transmission of HIV programme in two high-burden provinces in Papua New Guinea: a retrospective clinical audit.

Introduction: Despite early adoption of the WHO guidelines to deliver lifelong antiretroviral (ARV) regimen to pregnant women on HIV diagnosis, the HIV prevention of mother to child transmission programme in Papua New Guinea remains suboptimal. An unacceptable number of babies are infected with HIV and mothers not retained in treatment. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of this programme and to investigate the factors associated with programme performance outcomes.

Risk factors for stillbirths: how much can a responsive health system prevent?

Background: The stillbirth rate is an indicator of quality of care during pregnancy and delivery. Good quality care is supported by a functional heath system. The objective of this study was to explore the risk factors for stillbirths, particularly those related to a health system.

Unusual Presentation of Porencephalic Cyst in an Adult.

Porencephalic cyst is quite a rare entity in adults with only a few cases reported so far. It is usually congenital and seen in neonates. Here, we report a 28-year-old female who presented with post-ictal confusion following a new onset of focal seizures with secondary generalisation.

Assessment of newborn care corners in selected public health facilities in Bihar.

Background: A functional newborn care corner (NBCC) is critical to provide immediate care to newborns including resuscitation, warmth, and initial care to sick newborns. NBCC provides an acceptable environment for all infants at birth, and it is mandatory for all delivery points at all levels in the health system including operation theaters.

Objective: The objective of this study was to find the status of availability of NBCCs and service provision in selected public health facilities of Bihar.

Mobile-based effective vaccine management tool: An m-health initiative implemented by UNICEF in Bihar.

Background: UNICEF launched the mobile-based Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) system in Bihar in 2014 along with the state government to electronically capture information and identify gaps in the existing vaccine management system for appropriate action.

Objective: This study accessed the implementation process of this initiative.

Methods: Quantitative data related to vaccine supply chain management indicators were collected in November-December 2015 using factsheets and dashboards, representing the situation of the vaccine supply and cold chain management system at regular intervals since the launch.

Computer tablet-based health technology for strengthening maternal and child tracking in Bihar.

Background: UNICEF along with the State Government of Bihar launched a computer tablet-based Mother and Child Tracking System (MCTS) in 2014, to capture real-time data online and to minimize the challenges faced with the conventional MCTS.

Objective: The article reports the process of implementation of tablet-based MCTS in Bihar.

Methods: In-depth interviews with medical officers, program managers, data managers, auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), and a monitoring and evaluation specialist were conducted in October 2015 to understand the process of implementation, challenges and possibility for sustainability, and scale-up of the innovation.

Rollout of quality assurance interventions in labor room in two districts of Bihar, India.

Background: Quality of care at the facilities during childbirth remains a major concern. Improved quality could have the greatest dividend in saving maternal and newborn lives.

Objective: The objective of this study was to implement quality assurance measures in the labor rooms of select public health facilities in two districts of Bihar.

Using nonpneumatic anti-shock garment for postpartum hemorrhage management and referral at the public health facilities: A pilot study in two districts of Bihar.

Background: Nonpneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) is a first-aid device that can save lives of women experiencing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Objective: The aim was to explore the feasibility of implementation of NASG intervention at select public health primary care facilities in two high priority districts of Bihar.

Methods: Qualitative design was used to document the NASG implementation process.

An assessment of bicycle intervention to improve service delivery by accredited social health activists in selected blocks of West Champaran district of Bihar.

Background: Several programmatic and logistic issues affect the overall performance of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Bihar Government provided bicycles to ASHAs in West Champaran district for increasing coverage of services by improving their mobility.

Objective: To assess the use of bicycles by ASHAs and it's effect on service delivery.

Rolling out of kangaroo mother care in secondary level facilities in Bihar-Some experiences.

Background: Preterm birth is one of the leading causes of under-five child deaths worldwide and in India. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a powerful and easy-to-use method to promote health and well-being and reduce morbidity and mortality in preterm/low birth weight (LBW) babies.

Objective: As the part of the roll-out of India Newborn Action Plan interventions, we implemented KMC in select facilities with an objective to assess the responsiveness of public health system to roll out KMC.

A rare case of subcutaneous mucormycosis due to Syncephalastrum racemosum: case report and review of literature.

Zygomycosis represent a group of uncommon but potentially fatal fungal infections. The incidence of zygomycosis has increased manifold in recent years. Despite aggressive treatment, it can lead to a highly invasive disease state with fatal outcomes, especially among immuno-compromised.

Cost of neonatal intensive care delivered through district level public hospitals in India.

Objective: To assess the unit cost of level II neonatal intensive care treatment delivered through public hospitals and its fiscal implications in India.

Design: Cost analysis study.

Settings: Four Special Care Newborn Units (SCNUs) in public sector district hospitals in three Indian states, i.

Hemoglobin status of non-school going adolescent girls in three districts of Orissa, India.

Unlabelled: Anemia is a major public health problem in young children and pregnant women in SouthEast Asia, but a paucity of data on anemia in adolescent girls in India. Studies are lacking on the entire non-school going adolescent population.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of anemia in non-school going adolescent girls and the association between hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and socioeconomic and nutritional factors.

Pseudobulbar paralysis--a sequelae of cerebral malaria.

Demyelination may be a pathogenic mechanism of post-malarial neurological sequelae. It can cause pseudobulbar palsy, which has not been documented earlier. In the present communication we report two cases of pseudobulbar palsy after cerebral malaria with evidence of demyelination.

Atypical manifestations of Plasmodium vivax malaria.

About 110 patients were enrolled to study the atypical presentations and the chloroquine sensitivity pattern of Plasmodium vivax malaria. The diagnosis was made from Giemsa stained peripheral blood smear. The co-infection of falciparum malaria was excluded both by smear and ParaSight F-test.